Brisbane Girls Grammar School Gazette, Issue 1 2022

How Grammar Went Greener

Student-led sustainable outcomes for today and tomorrow

Mrs Chris Woodford Science Teacher

Speaking at International Youth Day in 2021, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said wisely:

Young people are on the frontlines of the struggle to build a better future for all. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the dire need for the kind of transformational change they seek—and young people must be full partners in that effort.

It is clear that our girls, now and into the future, will have an important role to play in actionable sustainability within the School, the local community and globally. At BGGS this was acknowledged many years ago, and was formally established with the addition of the Grammar Environmental and Conservation Organisation (GECO) as a co-curricular student service group. Importantly, the focus of this organisation has always been to do things and create change—however small or large these steps have been— and not just discuss the ways in which we could have an impact. Students from all Year levels are welcome to join—with weekly meetings to discuss current issues, new suggestions for improvement at the School and fundraising for selected environmentally focused organisations. Students of the group have a keen sense of social and environmental responsibility, and understand that small, individual steps can lead to real, large-scale change. Ms Kathryn Zealand (2008) was the leader of GECO in 2008, and reflected insightfully in her final report:

It is not courage on the battlefield that we will need, rather the courage to change. Our generation has the challenge to develop an environmentally sustainable society and culture, and personally, I look forward to seeing how our society will adapt and grow during these exciting times.

In the same year that Ms Zealand made this bold, and what has ended up being, very accurate statement, GECO also evolved to encompass a new, School-wide event—Grammar Goes Green (GGG). The Service Captains of 2008, Tess Evans (2008) and Elspeth McConaghy (2008), organised to assist the community group Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN) in revegetating and stabilising a local creek in nearby Newmarket. More than 50 senior students helped to plant trees in what became the first GGG initiative. The event was a success with SOWN reporting that the BGGS students were the most efficient tree planters they had ever seen! Following this, further GGG events were organised at other local sites, always with enthusiastic support from the GECO group and their peers. When it was determined that BGGS would acquire the sporting fields in Fig Tree Pocket, GGG events transitioned to assist the Cubberla Whitton Catchment Network in clearing and planting along the banks of Cubberla Creek, which flows alongside these fields.

In 2015, the GGG events started the task of working on our own BGGS property, Rangakarra, and the outcomes of the numerous Saturday sessions since, can be seen today. Thanks to an army of volunteers over the years, a forest of large trees, shrubs and grasses line the creek and welcome those entering the fields at the front fence. We appreciate all those who have contributed to these environmental measures and hope that they are proud of their accomplishments. Many students have commented over the years that they are looking forward to being able to share this legacy with their children and grandchildren in the years to come.

In 2021, with the GGG tradition now well established, the decision was made to expand the reach, with an event held at each of our three campuses, Spring Hill, Rangakarra and Marrapatta each year. The tangible outcomes from these initiatives, which, are on display every day, are proof that our girls will be part of a sustainable and confident future. ■